The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-08-14
A WAR STORY.
The Union Spy of the Kelly Lam
GERS and the "Rebel Queen"
A Monongalia Soldiers Thrilling Ex.
perience In the Late War.
Written fer the NEw DOMINION.
PART THIRD.

On the following Sunday General
Witcher took possession Of the town
of Weston, having previously sent
some scouts around south of Weston
to cut the wires between that place
and ClarksbuIg; consequently the
news of the Confederates being at
Weston did not reach Clarksburg
and Buckhannon until Monday.
About 10 o'clock on Monday Gen.
Witcher and his brigade made their
appearance about one mile west OF
Buckhannon. When Capt. Hagans
was informed of Witcher's approach
he sent twelve or fifteen men out to
skirmish and to hold Witcher in
check until the citizens could get
away with their horses and other
valuables. This noble little band
of Lancers held the Confederates in
check nearly an hour, notwithstand-
ing they numbered nearly fifty to
one, and they did not retreat until
Witcher had them nearly surround
ed and they were compelled to gal
lop back into Buckhannon. During
this time Capt. Hagans had sent his
new recruits, who were without arms
or equipments, with d number of
citizens to loosen the flooring of the
bridge which spans the Buckhannon
river east of the town. He then
drew up the balance of his men in
line of battle across Main street.
Soon the Confederates made their
appearance from the west onto Main
street. Hagans and his gallant men
engaged them in battle and fought
ON until he discovered another body
of rebels passing along a back street.
Hagans saw that he must retreat or
in less than five minutes he would
be surrounded and his men either
killed or captured. He then ordered
retreat in the direction Of Beverly.
The men retreated across the bridge
and when the last man crossed, the
footmen threw the flooring off, and
when Witcher with his cavalry ar
rived at the bridge they found that
Hagans had outwitted them and
they could not pursue. They then
fired the bridge, but Witcher permit
ted the citizens to .extinguish the
| fire.
Two incidents occurred during
this fight that ought to be recorded
in history, and the citizens of Buck
harmon ought to erect monuments
to the hero and heroine of that day
When the rebels made their appear
ance on Main street Capt. Hagans
rode up to the Jennings Hotel and
called for pie. One of the girls
gave him pie and he rode back tt
his men and gave the order to fire
He then sat on his horse firing his
revolver, eating pie and giving orders
to his men, while the rebel balls
were whistling around his head al
most as thick as hail. The Lancer:
had q beautiful silk banner Il thinl
it was presented to them by Tho
ladies of Morgantown which the,
valued very highly. The color ser
geant, having been one of the Skin
mishers, had not the opportunity t.
get the flag before the retreat and i
was left at the Jennings HOTEL
Several rebel officers went to thii
hotel and one of them went into thu
dining room just as Kate Jenning
was taking the flag through in orde
to hide it from the rebels. The OIL
Ger ordered her to surrender the flag
which she refused. He threatened
but still Kate refused. The office
then drew his revolver, cooked it
and told her if she did not surrende
it he would shoot her. Kate wrap
ped herself within the folds of tn
stars and stripes and exclaimed
Coward, shoot; / am willing to di
in defense of the glorious old sta
spangled bannerr' The officer di'
not shoot, but calling assistanc
they took by brute force the fla
from brave Kate Jennings. Th
ladies of Buckhannon replaced thi
with a beautiful silk flag made b.
their own hands, for which they ar
held in grateful remembrance by al
the Kelly Lancers.
Capt. Hagans retreated a mile o
two out the Beverly road and Their
battalion of mounted men fror
Beverly. He requested the com
mander to assist him in driving tn
rebels out of Buckhannon but he re
fused, stating that it would be shed
ding blood needlessly and nothin
could be gained by it as the rebel
outnumbered the combined force
three to one, but he permitted
number of his men to remain wit
us and we there went into camp 70
: the night. During the night Cap
Hagans sent men in three direction
, to attack the rebel pickets on tn
l French creek road, on the Clarks
burg road and ON the Beverly roae
l At given signal our men fired o
the pickets simultaneously and drov
Q them all into Buckhannon. Gu
+ men then returned to headquarters
There is a stretch of the Beverl
PIKE, OVER u QudItcl VI u huiiC ioA
and between one and two miles fror
Buckhannon, which is in fair vie7
from the latter place. Hagans form
a ed his men with the Ohio men tina
+ remained, and the citizens, an
marched them in single file alon
, this section of road towards Buck
harmon. They marched on unit
out of sight from Buckhannon an
then would pass around on the othe
q side of the hill and march down th
, same stretch of road. This was re
!, peated about three times. The rus
worked as Capt. Hagans intende
! it should. Witcher and his me
: were watching our movements an
supposing us to be in double file II
stead of single and counting each
US about six times, they conclude
4 that Hagans had been heavily reir
7 forced during the night. The
therefore beat hasty retreat fror
: Buckhannon and we again took pos
e session of the town
, As / stated in my last the ''RebC
/, Queens" mother still suspected tina
!, / was connected with the Lancer'
:. and the next day after the party q
!. their house she came to Buckhar
: non in order to find out. The cit